Below is my preview for Nebraska, predicted starters, and schedule predictions. I am a Nebraska fan, but remain level headed and have realistic expectations, so the following is as unbiased as possible.
Preview: Return 5 starters on Offense and 6 on Defense.
Offense: Tommy Armstrong will lead the team on offense, and returns both starting tackles, but will have to replace both G's and their C. Due to injuries last year, two of the likely starters on the interior do have considerable experience. Replacing Abdullah won’t be possible, and RB will most likely be a by committee approach. The WR core is the best Nebraska has had in a very, very long time, and arguably the best in the conference. Demornay Pierson-El is an electric playmaker and is a name to watch. He was the best return man in CFB last year. TE will be an interesting position as Cethan Carter is a very difficult matchup as he is very athletic, but was almost exclusively used as a blocker in the old staff’s schemes. RB and OL will be the two areas that Nebraska needs must have players step up at if they hope to take a step forward. The WR's will be very good IF Tommy Armstrong improves his accuracy and gets them the ball. Riley and Langsdorf have said they will make their play calling fit the talent, and that will be a key. If Armstrong is throwing 30+ times per game, it won’t be good for Nebraska.
Defense: The defense with 3 out of 4 starters back on the DL and half of the secondary t returns a lot of experience. Rose at LB is a former start derailed by injury and will be a big addition to the defense. Gangwish replaces Gregory and will be far less effective getting to the QB, but an improvement vs the run. The big key will be the ability to make tackles in space and stop dual-threat QB's. The defense has been terrible against the run when they allow teams to get outside and use their speed. That has to change if they want to improve. Switching to a Quarters D will be an interesting development and makes this a harder unit to predict. Ultimately it just comes down to improvements in tackling in space and setting the edge.
Predicted Starters:
QB - Tommy Armstrong (JR)
RB - Terrell Newby (JR) or Adam Taylor (RS. SO) - Newby is the front runner, but Taylor brings more balance. Newby is more a speed back.
WR - Jordan Westerkamp (JR) - Phenomenal hands. He catches everything thrown his way, but isnt too dynamic after the catch.
WR - Brandon Reilly (JR) - Former walk-on held back by injury last year. 6' 1" and is the fastest player on the team.
WR - Demornay Pierson-El (SO) - Absolutely electric. Was the best return man in the nation last year. Could be a breakout star.
TE - Cethan Carter (JR) -Under the old regime he was mostly a blocker. Very athletic and could have a very big year.
LT - Alex Lewis (SR) -A solid LT, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype since transferring from Colorado.
LG - Chongo Kondolo (SR) - Was the top backup at G last year and played in every game
C - Ryne Reeves (SR) - Has played in 21 of 26 games the last two years. Long considered our best C, injuries have held him back.
RG - DJ Foster (RS FR) - Will have stiff competition here, but got good reviews last year and this spring. This could be a weak spot
RT - Zach Sterup (SR) - A serviceable RT, but not outstanding by any means.
DE - Jack Gangwish (SR) - Serviceable DE, he has an endless motor, but not overly talented.
DT - Maliek Collins (JR) -An absolute stud. Currently predicted as a late RD. 1 pick. Should be 1st team All-B1G
DT - Vincent Valentine (JR) - Mammoth run stopper that plays at 315lbs+. Very good shot at 2nd team All-B1G
DE - Greg McMullen (JR) - Another serviceable DE, more talented than Gangwish.
LB - Josh Banderas (JR) -Very good athlete that is better at playing the run than the pass.
LB - Michael Rose (JR) - Very good LB. Great vs the run. Started the second half of '13 and lost '14 to injury. 1st/2nd team All-B1G quality.
LB - Dedrick Young (FR) - Could see someone else here, but Young has tons of potential and is very good in coverage.
CB - Daniel Davie (SR) - Above average coverage skills and good against the run.
S - Nathan Gerry (JR) -Very good player. A ball hawk and above average run defender. Legit shot at 1st team All-B1G
S - Byerson Cockrell (SR) - Struggles against the run and is better in coverage. Just a serviceable S.
CB - Charles Jackson (JR) - Could be a transfer from Auburn here, but Jackson has long been said to be the best ATH on the team, he just couldn’t get the playbook and had injury trouble.
Schedule:
Key Games:
BYU - This is certainly not an ideal game to open with, especially with a new HC. BYU is a good team, and it goes without saying that Hill is very dangerous. They do have some questions of their own though. The big one being how healthy is Hill. Coming back less than a year removed from a broken leg and torn ligaments is very tough. While I think he will still be very good, I just don’t think he returns to his old form that quickly. The health of Jamal Williams at RB will be another big question, as he will not be 100% either. The other key will be who BYU suspends. Mendenhall has said 10 players will miss the game, and BYU writers have said to expect a few of those to be defensive starters. The danger for Nebraska certainly lies with BYU's offense who returns nine starters and 4 out 5 being on the OL. Ultimately I think this one is a high scoring affair that comes down to which D gets more stops. With Hill and Williams at less than 100%, and Nebraska having a better D, I think they get it done and extend the home opener streak to 30. Prediction - Nebraska by 3
Miami - Miami will have a good team as long as Kaaya continues to grow, which I believe he will. While this is a road game, with it being in the afternoon, I don’t expect it to be a tough environment other than the weather. Miami only returns five starters on offense, and has to replace two starters on the OL, including Ereck Flowers who is a huge loss. Kaaya loses his top three receiving threats from last year as well as Duke Johnson. I think the Miami offense takes a step back this year. On defense the Canes always seem to fill holes with very athletic players, but they only return six starters and three of their front 7. Ultimately I think Nebraska catches a young team at the right time here. Prediction - Nebraska by 7-10
Wisconsin - This one will be very interesting. As of right now, until Nebraska shows who they are going to be as a team, they edge has to go to Wisconsin. Stave will be a game manager, and while they only return two starters on the OL, Wisconsin always has a bunch of tanks up front. Aside from those already listed, top WR Erickson is back, as is TE Traylor. Traylor didn’t prove to be much of a receiving threat last year, but will help in blocking. Fumagalli will be the bigger receiving threat at TE and should get good playing time. Ultimately the offense will go through Clement, who I believe will be an outstanding RB. Defensively they return eight starters including the entire secondary. They will have to replace four of the front seven, and a coaching change always make things questionable, but in the end I think Wisconsin gets it done this year. Prediction - Wisconsin by 10
@ Minnesota - The Gophers return six starters on offense, but have to replace two players on their OL. Two of their three top targets from last year are gone, including the outstanding TE Williams. Workhorse RB Cobb is also gone and I think it all adds up to trouble for Minnesota. The defense returns seven starters, thee in the back four, and four of the front seven. The loss of Wilson at LB is a big blow, but Minnesota will have a tough D and certainly make teams grind it out. Ultimately I think Nebraska will force Leidner to throw to beat them, and with the loss of three key weapons up front it won’t be enough. On the whole, I expect Minnesota to take a step back this season in general. Nebraska by 10
Michigan St. - Simply put Michigan St is a better team. They will have to replace their top three rushers from last year, but they always seem to have a quality RB. Connor Cook is one of the best QB's in the country in my opinion, and while he loses Lippett, he returns 4 of his top 6 targets from last year. They also return 7 starters from a very good defense and 7 on offense including 4 out 5 OL. While they might have some growing pains without Narduzzi, those should long be fixed by the time this game rolls around. This is also where the schedule will definitely play a factor. This will be the 10th game with no BYE for Nebraska, and Mich. St. will be coming off a BYE. Nebraska's record at this point could play a factor, but even then I think that just helps them keep it close. Prediction - Mich. St. by 10-17
All in all, I think Nebraska has seven games this year where there is no reason to lose. On the flip side there is one game in which I just don’t see them winning currently, and that’s Mich. St. Outside of those eight, they have four toss ups and I think they are able to go 3-1 in those games and finish the regular season at 10-2. A tougher schedule than Wisconsin, and a head to head loss keeps Nebraska out of the B1G CCG, but is a step in the right direction.
I will post more information as time allows.
Preview: Return 5 starters on Offense and 6 on Defense.
Offense: Tommy Armstrong will lead the team on offense, and returns both starting tackles, but will have to replace both G's and their C. Due to injuries last year, two of the likely starters on the interior do have considerable experience. Replacing Abdullah won’t be possible, and RB will most likely be a by committee approach. The WR core is the best Nebraska has had in a very, very long time, and arguably the best in the conference. Demornay Pierson-El is an electric playmaker and is a name to watch. He was the best return man in CFB last year. TE will be an interesting position as Cethan Carter is a very difficult matchup as he is very athletic, but was almost exclusively used as a blocker in the old staff’s schemes. RB and OL will be the two areas that Nebraska needs must have players step up at if they hope to take a step forward. The WR's will be very good IF Tommy Armstrong improves his accuracy and gets them the ball. Riley and Langsdorf have said they will make their play calling fit the talent, and that will be a key. If Armstrong is throwing 30+ times per game, it won’t be good for Nebraska.
Defense: The defense with 3 out of 4 starters back on the DL and half of the secondary t returns a lot of experience. Rose at LB is a former start derailed by injury and will be a big addition to the defense. Gangwish replaces Gregory and will be far less effective getting to the QB, but an improvement vs the run. The big key will be the ability to make tackles in space and stop dual-threat QB's. The defense has been terrible against the run when they allow teams to get outside and use their speed. That has to change if they want to improve. Switching to a Quarters D will be an interesting development and makes this a harder unit to predict. Ultimately it just comes down to improvements in tackling in space and setting the edge.
Predicted Starters:
QB - Tommy Armstrong (JR)
RB - Terrell Newby (JR) or Adam Taylor (RS. SO) - Newby is the front runner, but Taylor brings more balance. Newby is more a speed back.
WR - Jordan Westerkamp (JR) - Phenomenal hands. He catches everything thrown his way, but isnt too dynamic after the catch.
WR - Brandon Reilly (JR) - Former walk-on held back by injury last year. 6' 1" and is the fastest player on the team.
WR - Demornay Pierson-El (SO) - Absolutely electric. Was the best return man in the nation last year. Could be a breakout star.
TE - Cethan Carter (JR) -Under the old regime he was mostly a blocker. Very athletic and could have a very big year.
LT - Alex Lewis (SR) -A solid LT, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype since transferring from Colorado.
LG - Chongo Kondolo (SR) - Was the top backup at G last year and played in every game
C - Ryne Reeves (SR) - Has played in 21 of 26 games the last two years. Long considered our best C, injuries have held him back.
RG - DJ Foster (RS FR) - Will have stiff competition here, but got good reviews last year and this spring. This could be a weak spot
RT - Zach Sterup (SR) - A serviceable RT, but not outstanding by any means.
DE - Jack Gangwish (SR) - Serviceable DE, he has an endless motor, but not overly talented.
DT - Maliek Collins (JR) -An absolute stud. Currently predicted as a late RD. 1 pick. Should be 1st team All-B1G
DT - Vincent Valentine (JR) - Mammoth run stopper that plays at 315lbs+. Very good shot at 2nd team All-B1G
DE - Greg McMullen (JR) - Another serviceable DE, more talented than Gangwish.
LB - Josh Banderas (JR) -Very good athlete that is better at playing the run than the pass.
LB - Michael Rose (JR) - Very good LB. Great vs the run. Started the second half of '13 and lost '14 to injury. 1st/2nd team All-B1G quality.
LB - Dedrick Young (FR) - Could see someone else here, but Young has tons of potential and is very good in coverage.
CB - Daniel Davie (SR) - Above average coverage skills and good against the run.
S - Nathan Gerry (JR) -Very good player. A ball hawk and above average run defender. Legit shot at 1st team All-B1G
S - Byerson Cockrell (SR) - Struggles against the run and is better in coverage. Just a serviceable S.
CB - Charles Jackson (JR) - Could be a transfer from Auburn here, but Jackson has long been said to be the best ATH on the team, he just couldn’t get the playbook and had injury trouble.
Schedule:
| Sep. 5 | BYU | |
| Sep. 12 | South Alabama | |
| Sep. 19 | at Miami-FL | |
| Sep. 26 | Southern Miss. | |
| Oct. 3 | at Illinois | |
| Oct. 10 | Wisconsin | |
| Oct. 17 | at Minnesota | |
| Oct. 24 | Northwestern | |
| Oct. 31 | at Purdue | |
| Nov. 7 | Michigan State | |
| Nov. 14 | at Rutgers | |
| Nov. 27 | Iowa |
Key Games:
BYU - This is certainly not an ideal game to open with, especially with a new HC. BYU is a good team, and it goes without saying that Hill is very dangerous. They do have some questions of their own though. The big one being how healthy is Hill. Coming back less than a year removed from a broken leg and torn ligaments is very tough. While I think he will still be very good, I just don’t think he returns to his old form that quickly. The health of Jamal Williams at RB will be another big question, as he will not be 100% either. The other key will be who BYU suspends. Mendenhall has said 10 players will miss the game, and BYU writers have said to expect a few of those to be defensive starters. The danger for Nebraska certainly lies with BYU's offense who returns nine starters and 4 out 5 being on the OL. Ultimately I think this one is a high scoring affair that comes down to which D gets more stops. With Hill and Williams at less than 100%, and Nebraska having a better D, I think they get it done and extend the home opener streak to 30. Prediction - Nebraska by 3
Miami - Miami will have a good team as long as Kaaya continues to grow, which I believe he will. While this is a road game, with it being in the afternoon, I don’t expect it to be a tough environment other than the weather. Miami only returns five starters on offense, and has to replace two starters on the OL, including Ereck Flowers who is a huge loss. Kaaya loses his top three receiving threats from last year as well as Duke Johnson. I think the Miami offense takes a step back this year. On defense the Canes always seem to fill holes with very athletic players, but they only return six starters and three of their front 7. Ultimately I think Nebraska catches a young team at the right time here. Prediction - Nebraska by 7-10
Wisconsin - This one will be very interesting. As of right now, until Nebraska shows who they are going to be as a team, they edge has to go to Wisconsin. Stave will be a game manager, and while they only return two starters on the OL, Wisconsin always has a bunch of tanks up front. Aside from those already listed, top WR Erickson is back, as is TE Traylor. Traylor didn’t prove to be much of a receiving threat last year, but will help in blocking. Fumagalli will be the bigger receiving threat at TE and should get good playing time. Ultimately the offense will go through Clement, who I believe will be an outstanding RB. Defensively they return eight starters including the entire secondary. They will have to replace four of the front seven, and a coaching change always make things questionable, but in the end I think Wisconsin gets it done this year. Prediction - Wisconsin by 10
@ Minnesota - The Gophers return six starters on offense, but have to replace two players on their OL. Two of their three top targets from last year are gone, including the outstanding TE Williams. Workhorse RB Cobb is also gone and I think it all adds up to trouble for Minnesota. The defense returns seven starters, thee in the back four, and four of the front seven. The loss of Wilson at LB is a big blow, but Minnesota will have a tough D and certainly make teams grind it out. Ultimately I think Nebraska will force Leidner to throw to beat them, and with the loss of three key weapons up front it won’t be enough. On the whole, I expect Minnesota to take a step back this season in general. Nebraska by 10
Michigan St. - Simply put Michigan St is a better team. They will have to replace their top three rushers from last year, but they always seem to have a quality RB. Connor Cook is one of the best QB's in the country in my opinion, and while he loses Lippett, he returns 4 of his top 6 targets from last year. They also return 7 starters from a very good defense and 7 on offense including 4 out 5 OL. While they might have some growing pains without Narduzzi, those should long be fixed by the time this game rolls around. This is also where the schedule will definitely play a factor. This will be the 10th game with no BYE for Nebraska, and Mich. St. will be coming off a BYE. Nebraska's record at this point could play a factor, but even then I think that just helps them keep it close. Prediction - Mich. St. by 10-17
All in all, I think Nebraska has seven games this year where there is no reason to lose. On the flip side there is one game in which I just don’t see them winning currently, and that’s Mich. St. Outside of those eight, they have four toss ups and I think they are able to go 3-1 in those games and finish the regular season at 10-2. A tougher schedule than Wisconsin, and a head to head loss keeps Nebraska out of the B1G CCG, but is a step in the right direction.
I will post more information as time allows.
